The present invention relates to a heat exchange device, and particularly, to a plate for a plate freezer.
Freezing plates with fluid flow inside of them usually are used as effective heat exchangers for cold treatment of different foodstuffs. It is necessary to provide the same temperature at different parts of the surface of the plate for effective preservation of the products such as foodstuffs, medication, etc.
In the heat exchange device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,002 by Wright et al. liquid flows through channels connected in series inside the device. The temperature on the surfaces of said device is different. Moreover, the heat exchange at the bottom of the device is higher than at the top due to the accumulation of the vapor at the top of the channel and the small space for heat exchange on the lateral sides of the channel. Therefore, the effectiveness of said device is not efficient.
Accordingly, a need exists for a device that provides an effective heat exchange for better preservation of products such as foodstuffs, medications, etc.
The present invention provides improvement of the heat exchange process for freezing plates.
The achievement of approximately uniform temperature on the entire surface of the device and approximately equal heat exchange at the top and the bottom of the plate is possible when channels with refrigerant flow are placed at an angle (except 0, 90, and 180 degrees) to the bottom side of the plate. In this case heat exchange at the top surface of the device is not limited by the size of the channels"" lateral sides even though the collection of refrigerant vapor on the top of the channel takes place. The form of the channel""s cross-section can be polygonal, out-of-round, cross-shaped, star-shaped, and any combinations of these sections or their parts or can have a cross-section of a combination of round forms and the aforementioned shaped cross-sections or their parts.
According to the second embodiment of the present invention, additional channels without refrigerant are placed between the channels with refrigerant flow in order to reduce the weight of the device. The form of these channels"" cross-section can be polygonal, out-of-round, cross-shaped, star-shaped, and any combinations of these sections or their parts or forms and the aforementioned shaped cross-sections or their parts.
The above described and many other features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the invention becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.